MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor (Halo)
*''(This article is still under construction and will be finished as soon as possible. Feel free to contribute to the article in the meantime to speed up the process.)'' *''Information obtained from the Halo Nation Wiki'' website. The MJOLNIR (Pronunciation: ˈmjɔlˌnɪɹ 'my-all-'nhr) Powered Assault Armor is a technologically advanced combat exoskeleton system designed to vastly improve the strength, speed, agility, reflexes and durability of a SPARTAN-II, SPARTAN-III, or a SPARTAN-IV supersoldier. Possibly the most well-known powered armor to date in popular culture, the MJOLNIR armor (often just referred to as Spartan Armor) made its first appearance in the Halo: Combat Evolved video game. It has since then been recreated in real life for live action trailers for subsequent Halo sequels, as well as by dedicated fans for cosplaying and recreational purposes. Overview Created parallel to the Spartan-II Program, the MJOLNIR Armor is currently the most advanced piece of tactical military hardware in human hands. Each suit alone costs as much as a small starship. The brainchild of Dr. Catherine E. Halsey, MJOLNIR is Halsey's attempt to create a powered exoskeleton capable of taking full advantage of the physical capabilities of a SPARTAN-II. The battlesuit is constructed in overlapping layers. It is a sealed system, capable of extravehicular activity or operations in toxic atmosphere. It is hardened against EMP and radiation, and has filters that are completely effective at removing toxins and bacteria from local atmosphere. The armor's outer shell is composed of a multilayer alloy of remarkable strength and has been augmented with a refractive coating capable of dispersing a limited amount of Covenant energy weapon strikes. The suit contains a gel-filled layer underneath a thick black armored bodysuit. The gel layer regulates temperature and can reactively change its density. The inner skinsuit is made of a moisture-absorbing synthetic material linked to an environment control computer and the occupant's UNSC-issue neural interface. Each human being has a molecular fiber network called the nervous system within their brain. An upgrade to the standard neural interface is issued to all high ranking officers; another modified version of the neural lace is issued to all SPARTAN-IIs in the UNSC. This network translates electrochemical signals to digital code and routes them through an interface connection at the rear of the skull. Through this interface, the user's thoughts command the armor's movement and weapons; and input from the on board sensors comes directly to the user's mind. The synthesis of machine and mind is so fast that it is almost impossible to chart reaction time. Between the external armor and the internal padding is the most devastating weapon the suit carries: a layer of reactive metal liquid crystal. Woven by molecular tools into a superdense optical computer memory, this revolutionary crystalline layer forms a network, capable of supporting the kinds of Artificial intelligence usually reserved for starships, as a type of piggyback system. An A.I.'s personality and processing matrices can be carried by the armor and delivered to the suit via onboard storage in a crystal data chip no larger than a personal credit card. Such technology did not exist when work began on the Mark I prototypes. At the same time it is amorphous, yet amplifies force, doubling lifting capability and increasing reaction time by a factor of five. Unfortunately the system is so reactive that normal human beings cannot use the suit without injuring themselves. Only humans who have carbide ceramic ossification, a skeletal augmentation, such as a SPARTAN-II, can safely wear the suit. The suit also possesses other features that enhance its wearer's abilities. It has numerous clips, belts, and magnetic holsters for the attachment of additional weapons and ammunition; an advanced Heads-Up-Display(HUD) linked to sensors in the gloves detects the type of weapon and devices held, and to project shield strength, ammunition count, a targeting reticule, waypoints, a radio uplink for communication, health monitoring and other helpful data. In its final phase the MJOLNIR battlesuit weighs half a ton, or 1000 Lbs and when in use, is a fully neural-linked system. With an on board A.I using the human mind for parallel processing, the SPARTAN-II/MJOLNIR combination is designed to be the most devastating intelligence tool ever created. Capabilities Due to the story of the Halo universe, there are many variants and models of the MJOLNIR suit. The capabilities discussed below will only cover the capabilities of the Mark V (Halo: Combat Evolved) and Mark VI (Halo 2, Halo 3) suits as they are the most common and well-known. Look for additional articles in the future regarding the newer Generation II suits that are to debut in the upcoming Halo 4. *'Titanium ARMOR: '''Titanium-alloy-based armor composition provides solid defense against small arms fire and heavier weaponry. The outer shell consists of fairly thick plating that is quite resilient and nearly impervious to small arms fire. It should be noted that the armor can only sustain a few hits from armor-piercing rounds before failing. A durable but flexible titanium nanocomposite bodysuit is worn under the plates that protects the joints and other areas not covered by the plating. The bodysuit is also fairly insulated to protect it from Covenant plasma weapons, although direct hits from plasma weaponry is enough to completely compromise the armor plating. The Mark VI suit has denser but more streamlined plating with fewer grapple-points in order to reduce the wearer's profile, offer more defense in the event the energy shielding is disabled, and increase mobility. *'Energy Shielding: The suit has a powerful personal energy shield that protects it from any attacks. This is perhaps the most notable and popular feature of the armor. The shield is not infinite however, and enough repeated attacks on the shield will overload it and cause it to fail. However, if the operator remains out of cover for a short period of time, momentary break will allow the shield system to recharge to maximum capacity once more. The Mark VI suit has recieved an upgrade that allows the shielding to recharge at a much faster rate compared to the older Mark V suit in addition to a significant increase in durability. The shield is invulnerable to all forms of firepower so long as it does not overload the system. * Reactive Metal Liquid Crystal: A reactive metal liquid crystal layer greatly boosts the strength, reflexes, and mobility of the wearer. This layer also serves a double-purpose as it is responsible for supporting the AI of the Mark V and Mark VI suits. This layer is the most intricate and accounts for 80% of the armor's total costs. *'Force/Reflex Enhancer Circuits: '''Force and reflex enhancer circuits further increase the strength and reaction time of the wearer. Unfortunately these circuits make the armor very difficult to adjust to, meaning that the genetically enhanced SPARTAN soldiers are the only beings capable of donning the MJOLNIR without killing themselves in the process. Even Master Chief injured himself when he saluted, brusing his hand as the motion, amplified by the circuits, sent it crashing into the cap of his helmet. Force circuits can be found throughout the suit, however the reflex enhancer circuits are built into the neural interface. The Mark VI included vast improvements to these circuits, allowing SPARTANs to run faster, jump higher, and hit harder than ever before. *'Biofoam Injectors: 'First introduced in the new Mark VI suit. Onboard medical systems built directly into the armor are capable of administering medical treatment in the form of Biofoam that prevents a soldier from bleeding out. This system does not replace actual medical equipment however, and the soldier must seek proper medical care in the event of serious wounds. *'Battleship-Grade AI: '''Both the Mark V and Mark VI suits are capable of housing AIs powerful enough to command an entire battleship. Master Chief himself possessed a powerful AI named Cortana whom played a pivitol role throughout the Halo series. The ability to house and interface with such power AI systems greatly increase the Spartan's intelligence-gathering abilities, allowing them to hack systems and operate even Forerunner technology. Misconceptions While the MJOLNIR is an impressive suit, there have been some misconceptions as to its true capabilities. Some are often exaggerated out of proportion while others have been significantly downplayed by either fans or haters. *The MJOLNIR does '''NOT have regenerative capabilities despite having regenerating health in-game (from halo 2 onwards). This is purely a gameplay mechanic, allowing a player to take more risks and eliminating the need to waste time scavenging the are for health packs. It was later explained in the canon through the use of automatic biofoam injectors. Biofoam will prevent the Spartan from bleeding out in the event that the armor is compromised and they sustain injury, however they must still seek medical treatment following any operation where they sustained a significant injury. In addition, the biofoam will often fail to be able to save them from fatal wounds. *The Mark V and Mark VI suits do not have atmospheric re-entry capabilities despite what was witnessed at the end of the events of Halo 2 and the beginning of Halo 3. In the novel Fall of Reach, many spartans died dropping down onto Reach via atmospheric re-entry donning the Mark V suits. In Halo 3, John survived through sheer luck and also from riding a Forerunner ship that he could have possibly used as a shield. Many fans have often attributed this feat to the near-indestructable durability of the armor. It should be noted that this was far outside the normal capabilities of the suit, and it was most likey luck or perfect conditions that allowed John and his suit to survive relatively intact. The newer Mark VII suits however have been stated to possess atmospheric re-entry capabilities without the need of a pod like the ODST. Category:Video Games Category:Halo